Statoil's Snorre hesitation criticised by NPD

STAVANGER, Norway (Bloomberg) -- Statoil ASA should push ahead with plans to boost output from its Snorre field in the North Sea and not let higher taxes and rising costs derail a drive to improve recovery rates, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said. “There are so many resources in the ground” at Snorre, NPD Director General Bente Nyland said in an interview in Stavanger. “So you can ask the question -- do you really need a carrot here?”